If that's true, then you can bet Doug Melvin knows it and will remedy that situation. I expect the Brewers to take the Central in a runaway.
Absolutely. The veteran presence in that dugout includes the following:
Jeff Suppan
Greg Counsell
Damian Miller (?)
Three guys who have been to the World Series and won it all. Plus you have good veterans like Geoff Jenkins and to a lesser extent Ben Sheets. But pressure makes a player in these situation. Last year, when the Brew Crew had a chance to play some meaningful games late in the season against the St. Louis Cardinals, they were unable to hold leads late and help decide the NL Central. Playing loose is one thing, but when the situation is now that you're playing for your own playoff aspiring life, you better do much better than they did last year down the stretch. Hence why I think they'll need some more help veteran presence-wise in order to win down the stretch and on into the playoffs. When Jeff Conine joined the Florida Marlins down the stretch in 2003, he helped tremendously the young talented group of Marlins along with such guys as Pudge Rodriquez.
If the Brew Crew is to win and hold off the Cubs and make hay in the playoffs, they will have to tighten up that defense, make a move or two for more veteran presence on the team and maybe one more reliever with playoff experience to help them out. But if they stand pat, I think they will be making a huge mistake and hurt their chances. IMHO of course.